Thursday

BEREA In the midst of Browns players claiming they're contenders and rapper Snoop Dogg jumping on the bandwagon this week, coach Hue Jackson wants to ensure his team won't do something crazy like allow two wins to go to its head.

"We haven't done anything," Jackson said Thursday after the Browns (2-2-1) practiced in preparation for Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Chargers (3-2). "We haven't qualified for anything. We have won two football games.

"We're going to keep this team grounded and work in how we go about our business. That's what Cleveland is about — people that work hard earn what they get and get what they earn and keep finding ways to do it every day. That's just who we're going to be."

Jackson stressed his players cannot get caught up with the increased national attention they're receiving.

"We haven't played well enough to be like, 'Man, we're unstoppable,'" left guard Joel Bitonio said. "It's not like we're 5-0 right now or something like that.

"Coach Jackson isn't going to let us take anything for granted. He's really pushing us at practice, making sure we are focused on the next opponent."

When a team doubles its win total from the past two seasons through five games and could have easily won more, it can't hurt to remind everyone how to handle a bit of success.

The Browns will enshrine the number 10,363 in the Ring of Honor at FirstEnergy Stadium to honor retired left tackle Joe Thomas for his career and legendary snap streak. The number will be unveiled during a break in the first quarter.

"Nobody else has ever played that many (consecutive) snaps, and I don't know if anybody else will do that again for a long time," Jackson said. "It just tells you how important football was to him.

"What he's done, the way he played, the way that he conducted himself with class within this organization, the way he conducted himself out in the community and all of the good things that he did for this football team will never be forgotten."

Bitonio hopes to go out to dinner with Thomas on Sunday to celebrate the occasion.

As part of the celebration, the Browns will give away 10,363 Thomas bobbleheads to fans after gates open at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Canton on his mind

Someone asked Landry if making it to Canton has crossed his mind.

Landry said he started thinking about the Pro Football Hall of Fame long before making some notable history Sunday. With five catches in a 12-9 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens, Landry passed Larry Fitzgerald for the most catches in a player's first five NFL seasons. Landry is at 429 with 11 games left in the regular season. Fitzgerald made 426 his first five seasons.

"I decided a long time ago I wanted to be great," Landry said. "One day, that’s every kid’s dream ... to eventually make it to the Hall of Fame and be recognized for the guys that paved the way and did it before us and to have an opportunity to be there in history. That’s forever. That’s definitely a goal of mine."

Given his youth (Landry won't turn 26 until Nov. 28), time to do much more is on his side. He will need to do much more to grow into a Hall of Fame candidate.

He has been a high-volume receptions guy, averaging exactly 100 catches in his previous four seasons with the Miami Dolphins. His yardage and touchdown production are less striking. He has averaged roughly 1,000 yards and 5.5 TDs per season.

So far in 2018, he is averaging 13.1 yards per catch, on pace for a career best, but has just one touchdown.

Fitzgerald, for example, never averaged less than 13.4 yards a catch in his first five seasons, when he racked up 46 touchdowns.

“(Landry’s) hands are up there with any of the great ones I've been around," Haley said. "In combative catches, he's up there with the Larry's and the ABs."

Landry leads the Browns in catches with 29 (David Njoku is next with 20) and receiving yards with 381 (Rashard Higgins is next with 244).

Making an impact

The Browns will need new sources of help with Higgins out with a sprained knee. Derrick Willies, who had three catches for 61 yards against the Ravens, has Haley's attention.

"He has come a long way," Haley said. "I get after him in practice all of the time. I call him 'Ear Plugs.' I think sometimes he is looking through a scope. But he has really worked hard to pay attention and be aware."

'Dumb call'

The arc of the Browns' season hinged on three plays late in overtime against the Ravens.

The first was a reverse that got sniffed out and left the Browns in second-and-21 from their own 5 in a 9-9 tie.

"Dumb call," Haley said Thursday in his first comments on the sequence. "When they don't work, they're dumb, and ... I heard from (Bill) Parcells immediately. He just had to stick the knife in again."

Haley, who coached in Dallas under Parcells, had something he enjoyed talking about on the next sequence. Baker Mayfield's scramble made it a tense but not hopeless third-and-8 from the 18. Then, Mayfield moved around in the pocket, scrambled, and found Willies for a 39-yard-catch and run.

It was more than a lucky play, Haley said, noting it said "a lot" about why he was the top pick of the draft.

"Baker's very good in the pocket," Haley said. "He's much more elusive than you would think he if you just look at timed speed. He has a knack for feeling pressure and finding his way out of it and, at the same time, his eyes are down the field, and that gives us big opportunities.

"We really haven't taken advantage of it enough. Whether it was dropped balls or whatever. You've got to count on two, three, four times a game when there's going to be an opportunity for a scramble pass.

"Guys need to get to spots and stay aware of the quarterback. Those are big, field-flipping type plays. That illustrated a lot of what gives him a chance to be a good player."

Extra points

• Snoop Dogg called for the Pittsburgh Steelers to fire Todd Haley as their offensive coordinator in August 2014 in a profanity-laced Instagram video. So Haley had a good laugh about meeting Snoop when he visited Browns practice Wednesday. "I got to make sure that he and I were all good," Haley said. "We had a couple of rough years there. It got smoother over the last few and then him being out there and saying that he's a part of the Dawg Pound, we're good now. I can go back to listening to West Coast rap."

• Asked if undrafted rookie running back Dontrell Hilliard will be used as a returner Sunday after being promoted from the practice squad this week, Jackson said, "He'll be somewhere around there, chance to get his hands on the ball. I'm not supposed to give away strategy today, am I? He's up for a reason, so we will see what happens." Hilliard returned kickoffs and punts at Tulane.